Redfoot pyramiding?

Dodge Mustang

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Hey, I'm worried my redfoot might be starting to pyramid.

Diet: mango, some pineapple, dandelion greens, cactus pads, spring greens, and Mazuri tort diet and some repti-cal supplements.

Enclosure: 3'x2' rubbermaid with lid. Humidity gauges (2 on either side) read above 90% at all times and within 2% of each other, but suspect it might be off. Temps 78-85F. Enclosure getting an upgrade within a month. One T5 34" UVB bulb.

Tort is ~7 months old, 4.25" long, 7.8 oz.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice.
 

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Markw84

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Hey, I'm worried my redfoot might be starting to pyramid.

Diet: mango, some pineapple, dandelion greens, cactus pads, spring greens, and Mazuri tort diet and some repti-cal supplements.

Enclosure: 3'x2' rubbermaid with lid. Humidity gauges (2 on either side) read above 90% at all times and within 2% of each other, but suspect it might be off. Temps 78-85F. Enclosure getting an upgrade within a month. One T5 34" UVB bulb.

Tort is ~7 months old, 4.25" long, 7.8 oz.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice.

Really not good pictures to evaluate how much pyramiding is happening the past month or so. We need a good view at good resolution from the side or front quarter to see the vertebral seams and perhaps the vertebral/costal seams.

Here's a picture I took last week as I track the progress and growth of some of my tortoises to give you and idea of a photo that is taken to look for possible pyramiding start. As you can see, there is absolutely no pyramiding here. These are 6-7 months old and just over 1200g. now - with lots of good new growth. So a good example of what to look for. The wet shell makes detail and seams stand out more.

IMG_1117(1).jpg
 

Dodge Mustang

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Thanks for the response. Are these a little better?
 

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Markw84

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Thanks for the response. Are these a little better?
Yes those are better picture angles.

Your tortoise is definitely pyramiding. However, it looks like the last 8 weeks or so has been much better. The growth when your tortoise was 3-5 months old was the worst pyramiding and that is what is pronounced now by the smoother growth the past 2 mos.

Give your tortoise good plant cover to hide beneath. That is one of the best ways to encourage smooth growth. Overhanging fronds the tortoise can push under. Virtual 100% humidity there and carapace contact with the plant will also wet the shell as condensation forms on the plant fronds. It also totally alleviates stress, which I also believe causes issues with proper growth.

ONe of the things I don't like about the make-shift tubs with lids to create a more closed enclosure, is there is no way to provide proper lighting and proper light gradients. That, combined with plant cover really changes the way a tortoise acts and grows.
 

Dodge Mustang

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I just added a repti-fogger about 2 months ago. I was getting suspicious the gauges were giving too high of a reading as they never go below 90%, so I fog it daily until it starts raining. The new enclosure will be 6'x3' and have enough height to allow more dense plants and be expandable as tort gets older.

Do you think this will be obvious at full size or will get hard to notice if growth stays good?
 

Markw84

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I just added a repti-fogger about 2 months ago. I was getting suspicious the gauges were giving too high of a reading as they never go below 90%, so I fog it daily until it starts raining. The new enclosure will be 6'x3' and have enough height to allow more dense plants and be expandable as tort gets older.

Do you think this will be obvious at full size or will get hard to notice if growth stays good?

It already shows positively for the changes you made 2 mos ago as I surmised in my previous post. With those additional changes, you are planning, I think you will have a very nice looking tortoise as it continues to grow. The pyramiding from the first few months will become almost unnoticeable if new growth now continues smooth.
 

Dodge Mustang

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Thanks, really appreciate your help. I'll keep a close eye on his shell growth and post again if I don't keep seeing improvement.
 

ZEROPILOT

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With both a varied diet and that good UVB light, I'd eliminate those supplements altogether.
Use what you still have. Then discontinue them.
I personally don't use them for this species. Just a bit of cuttlebone for sub adults or adults or a simple calcium dusting for babies.

Most captive Redfoot have some degree of pyramiding.
Even ones raised 24/7 outdoors in a tropical area such as here in south Florida aren't as perfectly glassy smooth as Redfoot from the wild.
I'd say that your tort actually looks pretty good!
Aim for some outdoors time in the warmer months in a secure and shaded outdoor enclosure, if possible.
Redfoot seem to blossom outside especially if there is a nice rain shower.
They love being in the rain and swimming in shallow puddles.
 

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